Battery pack with condition-sensitive membranes

Abstract

A battery system including a housing defining an aperture and an internal volume, a battery section contained within the internal volume, and a seal coupled to the housing and reconfigurable from a sealed state to a ruptured state in response to a predetermined condition within the housing. In the sealed state, the seal prevents fluid from flowing through the aperture. In the ruptured state, the seal permits the fluid to flow through the aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery system, comprising:
 a housing defining an aperture and an internal volume;   a battery section contained within the internal volume; and   a seal coupled to the housing and reconfigurable from a sealed state to a ruptured state in response to a predetermined condition within the housing,   wherein, in the sealed state, the seal prevents fluid from flowing through the aperture; and   wherein, in the ruptured state, the seal permits the fluid to flow through the aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to change from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to a pressure differential across the seal exceeding a threshold pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to change from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to a temperature of the seal exceeding a threshold temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The battery system of  claim 3 , wherein the seal includes a heat-sensitive polymer that is configured to degrade in response to experiencing the threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The battery system of  claim 3 , wherein the seal includes at least one of nylon, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, or a polyolefin. 
     
     
         6 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to change from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to the seal being exposed to a chemical released from the battery section. 
     
     
         7 . The battery system of  claim 6 , wherein the seal includes an acid-sensitive polymer that is configured to degrade in response to being exposed to an acidic material. 
     
     
         8 . The battery system of  claim 7 , wherein the seal includes at least one of polyethylene or cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         9 . The battery system of  claim 6 , wherein the seal includes an acid-sensitive inorganic material that is configured to degrade in response to being exposed to an acidic material. 
     
     
         10 . The battery system of  claim 9 , wherein the seal includes at least one of calcium carbonate or potassium carbonate. 
     
     
         11 . The battery system of  claim 1 , further comprising a suppressant container fluidly coupled to the aperture such that the aperture supplies fire suppressant from the suppressant container to the internal volume when the seal is in the ruptured state. 
     
     
         12 . The battery system of  claim 11 , wherein the aperture is a first aperture, the seal is a first seal, the predetermined condition is a first predetermined condition, and the housing further defines a second aperture, the battery system further comprising:
 a second seal coupled to the housing and reconfigurable from a sealed state to a ruptured state in response to a second predetermined condition within the housing,   wherein, in the sealed state, the second seal prevents the fluid from flowing through the second aperture;   wherein, in the ruptured state, the second seal permits the fluid to flow through the second aperture; and   wherein the suppressant container is fluidly coupled to both the first aperture and the second aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The battery system of  claim 12 , wherein the first predetermined condition is associated with a first portion of the internal volume adjacent the first aperture, and wherein the second predetermined condition is associated with a second portion of the internal volume adjacent the second aperture. 
     
     
         14 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is positioned to permit fluid from the internal volume to escape the housing when the seal is in the ruptured state. 
     
     
         15 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is a first predetermined condition, wherein the seal includes a first seal layer responsive to the first predetermined condition and a second seal layer responsive to a second predetermined condition, and wherein the first seal layer overlaps the second seal layer such that the seal is reconfigurable from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to the seal experiencing both the first predetermined condition and the second predetermined condition. 
     
     
         16 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is a first predetermined condition, wherein the seal includes a first seal layer responsive to the first predetermined condition and a second seal layer responsive to a second predetermined condition, and wherein the first seal layer and the second seal layer cover different portions of the aperture such that (a) the seal is reconfigurable from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to the seal experiencing the first predetermined condition and (b) the seal is reconfigurable from the sealed state to the ruptured state in response to the seal experiencing the second predetermined condition. 
     
     
         17 . The battery system of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is a first aperture, the seal is a first seal, the predetermined condition is a first predetermined condition, and the housing further defines a second aperture, the battery system further comprising:
 a second seal coupled to the housing and reconfigurable from a sealed state to a ruptured state in response to a second predetermined condition within the housing,   wherein, in the sealed state, the second seal prevents the fluid from flowing through the second aperture; and   wherein, in the ruptured state, the second seal permits the fluid to flow through the second aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The battery system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the seal and configured reconfigure the seal from the sealed state to the ruptured state. 
     
     
         19 . A battery system, comprising:
 a housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, and an internal volume, the first aperture and the second aperture being in fluid communication with the internal volume;   a battery section contained within the internal volume;   a first seal coupled to the housing and extending across the first aperture, the first seal being configured to rupture in response to exposure to an acid to permit flow through the first aperture; and   a second seal coupled to the housing and extending across the second aperture, the second seal being configured to rupture in response to exceeding a threshold temperature to permit flow through the second aperture.   
     
     
         20 . A battery system, comprising:
 a housing defining an internal volume;   a battery cell;   a fire suppressant supply configured to provide a fire suppressant; and   a seal positioned to fluidly decouple the fire suppressant supply from the internal volume, the seal being configured to rupture in response to contact with a substance released by the battery cell to permit the fire suppressant to enter the internal volume.